High-Security Locks Are Key In Protecting Game Machine Revenue
By Jim Samuel
Locks are a paradox for the gaming industry. Seeming simple mechanical devices that are easy to operate and have remained virtually unchanged for decades, locks can also be one of the most difficult security devices to properly manage.
The cause of the paradox? Like most security issues in casinos, the cause is people. No matter how well a lock performs or how well it is made, it can’t be secure if its keys are improperly managed. The fact is that even the strongest locks cannot protect against lost or duplicate keys.
This is a great article that is written for the casino industry, but has great parallels in any security consideration. Take for instance, the fact that I am contracted to recover or change Windows administrator passwords at least several times per year. All I need is physical access to any system and I can own it within 10 minutes (up to 4 hours in the worst case so far). So all I need is access to the server room to own the server....right? Not quite. All I need is access to any system that is currently or has been on the network that has a valid and cached Domain Admin password. By cracking that system, I can own the Windows Domain/AD servers. It is time to get proper access control and auditing processes into place in today's small business, especially since the tools are already in place, just unused. Access control in a casino may be easier than in the average modern business - which has the better payout?....you decide, it's your money. -Bryan
